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Parties, Prints & Ponderings

How much is too much? Please don’t imPEACH me.

I’m not sure. I have found all of these delish looking(and not so delish looking) dishes incorporating peaches. But how much peach is too much peach?

This Peach Basil & Ricotta Flatbread looks like a perfect summer party appetizer. Easy to pick up with your hands, bright and colorful, and vegetarian.

From Chesapeake Taste

Visual Recipe

*To make your own balsamic reduction: bring one cup (or more) balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small, thick bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the vinegar is reduced by half or more. Allow the reduction to cool, then transfer to an airtight jar and store in the pantry. Balsamic vinegar is great on everything from pizza to ice cream, caprese salads and so much more.

And for the carnivores, I thought this appetizer looked like an excellent counterpart.

easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy – INSTRUCTIONS

Grill bread slices.

Halve, pit, and thinly slice peach.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon ricotta onto each toast and sprinkle with ground pepper. Tear prosciutto into feathery pieces and drape a few slices over ricotta on each. Drizzle each with honey and top with 2 peach slices.

PEACH PIE

A classic. Need I say more. How can you not make?

From Je suis alimentageuse

Prep time (20mins) Cook time (60mins) Total Time (1 hr 2omins)

Ingredients

Your favourite pie crust recipe

8 cups of peaches, peeled and sliced (chunky slices)

½ cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

⅓ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup milk

¼ cup sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

(Preheat oven to 420F)

Roll out the bottom half of the pie shell and gently lay onto the pie pan.

Combine the peaches, flour, sugar, and vanilla together and put in pie crust.

Dot the top of the mixture with little chunks of unsalted butter.

Cover with top of the pie shell, pinching the sides so none of the juices can escape. Make sure you poke holes in the top of the pie so that the steam can come out when baking (and then your pie won’t explooode)

Complete with a milk wash and a light dusting of sugar on top.

Bake at 420F for about 15-20 minutes, then lower the oven to 350F and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. You may need to turn your pie in the oven to get an evening browning.

Let rest for about 15 minutes, and then dig in!

LITTLE PEACH CAKES

Okay, I will admit, this might be a bit of an overkill, put how friggin’ cute are these guys? I did something similar one Halloween to make a pumpkin cake, it turned out pretty well, and my guests were pretty impressed ;)…

1. You will only need 1/2 of a Duncan Hines yellow cake mix to make 6 Peach Cakes. Mix according to package directions- 1/2 cake mix with 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, and 12 drops yellow food coloring. Divide evenly among the 12 greased mini rounds- about +1/4 cup batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 2 minutes in pan then remove to wire rack. If you have one pan this can be done in two shifts!

2. While cakes are baking make the buttercream frosting and add about 12 drops of yellow food coloring to get a bright yellow. Set aside.

3. In two separate lidded containers, add 1/2 cup sugar and 12 drops yellow food coloring to one and 1/4 cup sugar and 6 drops red food coloring to the other. Cover each container and shake vigorously until the coloring is fully incorporated. Let the children do this! If there is clumping, break up with a fork and continue shaking. You should have a lovely bright yellow and a nice deep pink. You will have leftovers.

4. Break the cinnamon stick into small stems by taking a pair of scissors and placing the point into the hollow center of the stick and cutting. You will get both big and small bits, use the prettier pieces. See photo below…5. Frost the flat side of six mini rounds, being sure to get the frosting very think along one edge. Place another mini round on the frosting and press together forming a peach. Run your finger or a small spoon along the frosting to make an indentation that mimics the crease on a peach.

6. Dip each “cheek” of the peach into the pink sugar. I am calling each “fleshy” side of the thick portion of frosting the cheek. Then roll the rest of the peach in the yellow sugar without covering the pink portion. Roll the frosting portion in the yellow sugar as well. Like this…7. At the top of each peach, place a piece of cinnamon stick and a peppermint leaf. Arrange in a pretty bowl or on a platter. Decorate with more mint sprigs if desired.

Simple. Light, summer fare. Might be a tad too similar to first app with the balsamic & peach combo – but I just love its purity. And it looks gorge.

Ingredients:

Peaches

Fresh rosemary, chopped

Canola oil

Balsamic vinegar

To Prepare:

Cut each peach in half and remove pits. Brush the cut surfaces lightly with canola oil. Oil the grates on the grill and pre-heat to medium high. Place peach halves with their cut sides facing down and grill for 5 minutes. Flip peaches over and grill for another 4 minutes. Remove from grill and drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and serve as a side dish to pork chops, or as a simple dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.